Moonlight Maiden
by Sapphy-star girl
Summary: Nimue is a nineteen year old girl who is about have an arranged marriage to a man she hates. She runs away with her brother's friends and unexpectedly she goes on adventure that would change her life forever. ThorinxOC


**A/N: I must warn you that I have dyslexia and might missed some words out without realising and misspelled a couple of words. thank you :) I hope you like the story. :)**

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**Moonlight Maiden**

I grew up in a small village, where I lived with my father and my six brothers. Out of seven children I am the youngest and the only daughter of Alaster Bowen. The men in the Bowen family are known to be the greatest hunters in Middle Earth.

In the village, I am the only girl at the age of nineteen who is not married. It is nothing to do with my father or my brothers, but me. I rather stay a maiden because most of the men in my village are nothing but vile dogs. They treat women like slaves. Using them for pleasure, cooking, cleaning and bearing the children. I am not saying that I would never get married because I would like to get married but there is no hope for me to find a good husband in this village.

One day I do hope to marry. I hope my husband would treat me as his equal and not as a slave. I would like to find my true love a man who would put up with me being strong headed, shy, caring, childish and stubborn behaviour. A man who would love me for who I am.

My name is Nimue Bowen. I am nineteen years old and just turned that age last week. I am the smallest girl in the village and sometimes most people mistake me as a child. The reason I am short because I was born two months early, I was fragile, weak and very small. My father thought I wouldn't last the night but I did. I was lucky but as for my mother. She died holding me in her arms. After she died my father had to bring up the seven of us but during my childhood he never paid much attention to me. Throughout my life I was treated poorly by my father and brothers, but one of the my brothers was always by my side when I needed him. Ferris always told me stories about her and telling how beautiful she was. Ferris said that her hair was red like fire, skin white as snow and her eyes were silver like the moons glow. I may have not her known her but I miss her, but sometimes I feel her watching me and I sense that she is with me when I need her most.

Sometimes I pray and wish I would lead my own life and one day I would leave this village and start my own adventure and most of all search for my true love.

* * *

Silver eyes were watching the sunrise coming up into the sky, rising over the grassy hills in the distance. Her long wavy dark auburn hair to her mid back was half up half down and two stray hairs in the wind away from her silver eyes. Her long black lashes framed her rounded eyes making her face look younger, dark soft angled brows framed her face, her pale fair skin glowed in the morning sun, small button nose, rosy cheek and rosy pink heart shaped lips.

She sat on her grass listening to the birds singing. She wore deep green cotton dress that went down to her ankles with a brown leather belt around her curvy but slim hips. Her black boots went up to her mid calves and round her slender was as a necklace with a sapphire pendant. Her oak wooden bow and arrow next to her. The girl breathed in and sighed at the morning air.

"Nimue!" A male voice shouted from the cottage. Nimue groaned and got up from the ground. Well that relaxing moment was good while it lasted. She walked back into the cottage and saw her father and brothers at the wooden table waiting for their breakfast.

"What do you want?" Nimue groaned. Her eldest brother smirked.

"We will like our breakfast now if you don't mind." William said in a demanding tone. Five of her brothers always made her life a living misery by taunting her blaming her for killing their mother. Nimue got the logs and put them in the fire, She got the meat and began cooking it. She saw the youngest of her older brothers gets up and walks over to her with sad look on his face.

"What is wrong Ferris?" Nimue asked her brother. Ferris looked at his sister. His blonde hair in his blue eyes, he gets his hair out his eyes.

"I think father is planning something." He whispered so his father or his brother couldn't hear him.

"What made you think that?" She whispered back.

"He's going to the mayor's manor today for a meeting. I think he's trying to get you an arrange marriage." He whispered.

Nimue was about to open her month until her father interrupted her.

"Nimue where is our breakfast?" Her father yelled.

"Ferris go sit down we will talk about this after. It's coming father" The silver eyed girl said. Ferris nodded and walked to the table.

The meat was done, she cut seven big pieces and put them on the plates. Nimue put the seven plates down in front of them. The men began to eat their breakfast but Alaster held his cup in the air.

"Nimue you forgot our drinks." Alaster demanded. Nimue got their cups and filled them with ale and gave it them back.

"Is that all father?" She asked hoping she would get a break. The man looked at his sons who wre giving their younger sister a cruel smirk except Ferris who gave her a sad look. Alaster gave his daughter a mocking smile.

"Yeah take a little break and be lazy." He mocked. Nimue sighed tiredly and frowned.

"What else do you want?" She asked.

"Me and your brothers are going to a meeting today so I want food packed and the horses ready. Is that clear?" He said. Nimue nodded and went to do her chores.

She packed food into six bags, she got the horses out of the stable ready to ride. Six men came out of their cottage and dressed in their best robes except Ferris who came out with his normal tunic. They got on the horses and the older man stared at his daughter and youngest son.

"I want the house clean and dinner on the table by the time we get back." He demanded.

"Yes father." They said looking down at the ground frowning.

"Good. Lads come along now." He said as he and his sons began to ride into the village. As the men left leaving the two youngest to do their chores for the day. Ferris always wanted to know what they were planning behind their backs. As brother and sister walked into the house to their chores and stared at each other.

"You are right about father planning something." She said.

"I know he is trying to get you married as soon as possible and since you always turned down every suitors that came to our door." He said. Nimue looked at him.

"The reason I rejected them all was because they were all dogs and they wanted me for one thing." She said.

Ferris nodded in agreement.

"Yes I think you have you point there." He said. Ferris knew never to trust men from his village.

"Come on we need to do our chores before father comes back." Nimue said grabbing the wooden plates and began to wash them.

Nimue hated her life. Her father and five brothers treat her like a slave, using her as a maid for cooking a cleaning since she is the only female in the household, but Ferris helped her and stuck by her side when she needed it. If her mother was still alive she would never let her or her brother get treated this way. Why does her father hate her? Is it because she is a girl?

Also her father treated Ferris like dirt as well but he wasn't treated bad as her.

What has she done wrong?

Nimue sighed began to clean up the house with Ferris helping her. After hours of doing chores, Nimue and Ferris was sitting on a chairs very exhausted. Finally they had done their chores and now they was resting by sitting on the chairs besides the fire.

The smell of rabbits being cooked on the fire.

Suddenly the front door of the cottage opens to reveal her father and brothers, they were all smiling at something. Nimue and Ferris gave them a confused look but Nimue just shook her head.

"How was the meeting?" She asked. Her father gave her a joyful smile.

"Got some good news to tell you. You're getting married." He said smiling. Nimue just froze at his words. Getting married but to who?

Ferris stood up from his chair and walked beside his sister holding her hand tightly.

"Getting married? Are you kidding me?" She asked a little angry but also very confused. Her father gave her a death glare.

"Nimue you're nineteen years old. You should have been married after your sixteenth birthday. We just had a meeting with Mayor Dermot and you are getting married to his son Marcus." He said.

Nimue's eyes widen at that. Marcus, why does it have to be that sexist, fat pig. She puts her head in her hands and sighs. Her guess was Marcus divorced his fourth wife and he wanted another one.

"Why Marcus?" Ferris demanded to his father. Alaster looked at his son.

"Marcus is a good choice for her. He will he be a good provider for her." He said smiling. Nimue knew her father was telling lies. Marcus must have paid him. Nimue shuddered at the thought of marrying Marcus.

That vile man was thirty years her senior and he already has four failed marriages to girls who were younger than her.

"So when is the wedding?" Nimue said trying not to be sick.

"Tonight." He said.

"Tonight. Isn't that short notice?" Ferris asked to his father.

"Marcus wanted to get married soon as possible."

She lets go her brother's hand.

Nimue felt anger towards her father. Her breathed in trying to calm herself and not hitting her vile father. She nodded but she wasn't going to marry that fat bastard. Nimue gets up and takes the rabbits off the fire and puts them on the plates. She puts the plates on the table and stepped back.

The men began to eat their dinner.

"Is that all father?" She asked.

"Yes." He said shaking his hand telling her to go.

The girl went outside to seek and silver eyes looked up at the sky to seek comfort at the afternoon sun. She couldn't believe she was getting married to Marcus. Marcus for goodness sake. She shook her head and leaned against the tree next to her cottage.

She knew one day she would have an arranged marriage but she never thought it would be to that pig. Nimue sighed, she has had enough living here. Her father and brothers treat her like a slave and now she was getting married to the lowest life form in Middle Earth.

"Nimue!" She heard her father shout. The girl goes back into the cottage and see's her father and brothers packing their hunting gear. Her father's brown eyes were on her. "Ferris make sure she is ready when we get back. Am I clear boy?"

"Yes father." Ferris said.

Nimue nodded as her five older brothers and father walk past her. The six men got on their horses and rode into the forest doing their daily hunts. Nimue closed the door and sighed. She ran to by her bed and began to sob loudly. Ferris looked at sister and walked up to her.

"Don't cry Nimue, you are not going marry Marcus." He said stroking her hair. Nimue stared at her brother in confusion.

"What, you heard father I have to marry him tonight." She said. Ferris smiled at his sister.

"Come on I have a plan. We're going to get you out of here." He said reassuring her. Nimue nodded and gets up from her bed. Ferris walked over and got her cloak and gave it to her. Nimue put the cloak on and smiled at her brother.

Ferris remembered that two close friends of his are staying near by and they owned him a favour.

"What's that plan then?" She asked grabbing her bow and arrows.

"I don't know, but the main plan is getting you out of here before father comes back." He said in a serious manner. Ferris opened the door and Nimue went outside with her brother following her. Ferris closed the door behind him and took his sister's hand as they walked into the forest.

After a while Ferris stopped by a big oak tree and he turned to his sister.

"I need you to stay here for a little while. I need to a meet some people, but don't worry I won't be long." Ferris said as he let go Nimue's hand and walked off deeper into the forest.

"Okay don't be too long!" Nimue shouted.

* * *

Nimue sat down with her back against the tree. It felt like hours since she last saw her brother. Her silver eyes looked up to the see the sky was darken, she hoped that Ferris would return soon because nightfall was approaching and nothing good happens at night.

"Come on Ferris hurry up." She whispered.

Suddenly she heard a twig break into the distance. The footsteps were getting closer. With her guard on, Nimue climbed up the tree besides her. She climbed to the lowest branch on her left and looked down.

Nimue began to hear familiar voices. She carried on looking down to see if it was her father or her brothers.

Then she saw three familiar males walking up to the spot she stood a couple moments ago. The tall blonde looked around to see where his sister was. Ferris turned to his two friends.

"She was here when I left." He said "NIMUE!"

"I'm up here Ferris!" She yelled down. The three males looked up and the two dwarves smiled up at her.

"Were you hiding from us?" The blonde dwarf shouted smiling.

"I thought you were my father or my brothers at first!" She shouted smiling back at him. As Nimue started to climb down the tree, she jumped the last couple of feet and stood in front of the three males.

"It has been over two years since we last saw you and you are still short." Kili said looking at her.

"Hey it's not my fault I was born small." She said glaring at Kili. Even dwarves were taller than her but it didn't upset her. Being short has it perks.

Nimue felt a top on her shoulder. She turned to see her brother giving her a sad smile.

"I guess this good bye then." He said with a sad smile on his face. Nimue felt tears go down her cheeks and hugged her brother.

"No I'll come back and see you Ferris. Thank you for helping me." Nimue said and she felt her brother giving her a kiss on her forehead. "Be safe Ferris may mother watch over you." Nimue whispered into her brother's ear.

Ferris nodded and gave his sister a tight squeeze.

"Be good and don't get into trouble okay." He said smiling at his sister.

"I will." She said letting her brother and walking to the dwarves.

"I trust you two to keep her safe." Ferris said to his friends.

"We will. Come on Nim." Fili said. The two dwarves took off and Nimue waved at her brother one last time before following the dwarves. Nimue caught up with her brother's friends.

"Where are we going?" Nimue asked.

The two dwarves looked at each other and turned back to the girl.

"There is this meeting we need to go to like a reunion." Fili said and the maiden nodded.

"What is it about?" She asked wanting to know but she saw that two dwarves were very uncomfortable.

"You will find out when we get there." Kili said not sure to tell her or not. The trio carried on walking and Nimue looked up at the twilight sky and sighed. She looked at the sky thinking about Ferris, she was worried what might happen to him.

"You okay?" A voice asked and made Nimue jump a little. She turned to see the two dwarves looking at her with a worried look on their faces.

"Yes, sorry I'm just worried about Ferris that's all." She said shaking her head.

"Ferris is going to fine. He's a strong lad." Fili said reassuring her by patting her on her back. Nimue nodded and smiled sadly. After an hour of walking they were out of the forest and in small village.

Nimue looked around confused at look of the houses. Nothing but holes for doors and windows in the ground.

"Where are we?" Nimue asked.

"We are in the Shire and we need to find a door with a mark." Fili said looking at every door they walked past. They carried on looking until Kili shouted.

"Found it. It's just up here." He said to the other two. Kili walked up to the gate and then looked at the girl and the other dwarf. "Are you two coming or not?"

They nodded and walked up to the door with Nimue behind the two dwarves. Fili rang the bell.

The door opened to reveal an unhappy Hobbit as he looked at the trio.

"Fili."

"And Kili."

"At your Service." They said at the same time and then did a bow. Nimue just stayed quiet behind both of them.

"You must be Mr Boggins." Kili said with a smile on his face.

"Nope. You can't come in. You've come to the wrong house." The Hobbit said as he was about to close the door.

"What!" Kili said as he stopped the door from closing. "Has it been cancelled?"

"No one told us?" Fili asked as the two dwarves walked closer to the door.

"Can. No nothing has been cancelled." The Hobbit said more confused.

"Well, that's a relief." He said smiling and pushed to door open walking past the Hobbit. Fili followed him and turned to the Hobbit.

"Careful with these. I just had them sharpened." He said giving the Hobbit his weapons. Nimue glared at the dwarf at his lack of manners.

"It's nice this place. Did you do it yourself?" Kili asked looking around.

"Well no it's been in the family for years. That's my mother's glory box. Can you please not do that." He said still holding the weapons.

Nimue stepped into the home and gave the Hobbit a smile.

"Let me help you with that. I am Nimue and sorry for those two because their mother forgot to teach them some manners." She said glaring at the brothers.

"Oh thank you." The Hobbit said. Nimue put the sword aside, walked where the dwarveswere and looked up to two older dwarves looking at her.

"Who's the girl?" The tall dwarf asked and then looked at Kili. "I thought you were going to bring that Bowen lad."

"She is a Bowen and she is also his sister." Fili said.

"She's only a child." The older dwarf said looking her.

"I'm not a child I am nineteen years old." She said as she walked into the dining room. The two older dwarves stopped moving the chairs and looked at her.

"For a daughter of man you're pretty short." The tall one said.

"My mother was short but not short as I am but I guess it runs in my mother's family." Nimue said with a nervous laugh. Nimue jumped as heard the bell ring.

"No, no, no. There's nobody home. Go away and bother somebody else! To many Dwarves in my dining room as it is! If this is some clutt head idea of a joke! Haha. I can say." Then Nimue heard the door open and then heard people falling and shouting.

She stepped out of the dining room and sees a lot of dwarves on the floor.

"Fellas I think more of your friends are here!" She shouted to the dwarves in the dining room.

Suddenly all of the dwarves started to ransack the food cupboard. Nimue stood by the wall and saw the Hobbit telling them to take to the food back and smiled at his unhappy face. She walked into the dining room and saw a tall man helping them setting the table.

A dwarf approaches her.

"Miss would you like some camomile?" He asked smiling at her.

"Yes please if you don't mind." She replied smiling back at him. He gave her a cup. "Thank you my good sir."

"You're very welcome my love." He said walking away.

Fili and Kili came in with a barrel of ale.

"Who's that tall man?" She asked putting the cup down on the table.

"That's Gandalf the Grey. He's a wizard." Fili replied.

"You never heard of him?" Kili asked.

Nimue shook her head.

"No. You know it's rare that my father lets me out." She said.

Everyone sat down eating the food. Nimue sat between Kili and another dwarf watching everyone pigging out at the food, throwing it about and Fili handing them ale. The dwarves cheered, drank their ale, belching and laughing. Nimue heard her stomach grumble and Kili looked at her.

"Have you eaten today?" Kili asked.

Nimue turned her eyes down in embracement.

"Yes." She said.

"When was the last time you had food?" Kili asked.

"This morning before dawn." She said. Kili put some food in front of her.

"Eat something you need to put some meat on those bones." Kili said.

Nimue looked up to see some ham and bread infront of her. She began to eat the food in front of her, nibbling on her bread slowly satisfying her hunger.

"Hey Fili who's the girl?" One of the dwarves asked. Nimue turned to him to see he wore a funny looking hat.

"Is she not of your women?" Gandalf asked.

"No, Nimue is too pretty to be one of our women." Fili said. Nimue blushed at that comment.

"She is the daughter of Alaster Bowen." Kili said. Most of the dwarves looked at the girl in surprise.

"Daughter of the hunter." One of the dwarves shouted.

"How do you know her?" One of the older dwarves asked.

"She is the younger sister of our long time friend. Ferris Bowen." Fili said.

"Why is she here?" The one with funny hat asked.

"Ferris hasn't told us. Nimue why did you runaway?" Kili asked confused. Nimue looked down and gulped.

"Today was meant to be my wedding day." She said with her face going red.

"Let me guess the groom wasn't up to your standards." Fili said laughing.

"The marriage was arranged and the person who was going to be my husband caused me to runaway so yes the groom wasn't up to my standard." She said looking at Fili.

"Who was groom?" The old dwarf asked.

"Marcus Rochwood." She replied in disgust. Even Fili and Kili eyes widened at that.

"That Lard ass?" Fili asked and Nimue nodded.

"No wonder you ranaway." Kili said shaking his head.

Nimue smiled.

"Now I am here with nothing worry about now." She said.

Some of the dwarves got up and walked into the kitchen. Nimue got up from her chair and picked up her empty plate and walked into the kitchen.

She looked around for the sink and put her plate in and began to wash it.

"Excuse me, that is doily, not a dishcloth." Bilbo complained.

Nimue turned and saw him talking with dwarf with weird hat.

"But it's full of hole." The dwarf said.

"It's suppose to look like that, it's crochet." The Hobbit said.

"Oh, and a wonderful game it is too, if you have the balls for it." He said and some of the dwarves laugh. Nimue giggled at that and started to dry the plate.

"Be bother and confusticate these dwarves!" The Hobbit complained. Nimue saw the wizard come in.

"My dear Bilbo, what on earth is the matter?" Gandalf asked the Hobbit.

"What's the matter? I'm surrounded by dwarves. What are they doing here?" Bilbo complained again.

"Oh, they're quite a merry gathering, once you get used to them." Gandalf said.

"It's true once you get used to them. Their not bad to have around." Nimue said from the sink. Gandalf and Bilbo looked at her.

"I agree with the girl you just have to used them." The wizard said.

"I don't want to get used to them." Bilbo said dragging Gandalf out of the kitchen. "The state of my kitchen! There's mud trod into the carpet, they've pi-pillaged the pantry. I'm not even going to tell you what they've done in the bathroom; they've all but destroyed the plumbing. I don't understand what they're doing in my house!"

Nimue heard the conversation and felt bad for Bilbo. Suddenly plates were flying threw the kitchen until one of the dwarves caught them without looking. He put them in the sink and Nimue began washing and drying them as quickly as they came in.

"Excuse me, that's my mother's west farthing crockery, it's over a hundred years old!" Bilbo yelled.

Then there was banging coming from the dining room.

"And can-can you not do that? You'll blunt them!" The Hobbit yelled again.

"Ooh, d'hear that lads? He say we'll blunt the knives." One of the dwarves said. Then a rhythm started to take place.

Then Kili started to sing.

_"Blunt the knives, bend the forks,_

_Smash the bottle and burn the corks._

Suddenly rest of the dwarves started to sing.

_Chip the glasses and crack the plates,_

_That's what Bilbo Baggins hate._

The dishes were coming in very quick, Nimue turned to one of the dwarves next to her.

"Are you Bifur?" She asked the dwarf nodded collecting the plates and blowls. "Could you help clean the dishes please." He nodded and began catching and cleaning while Nimue was drying and putting them on the table.

_Cut the cloth and tread on the fat,_

_Leave the bones on the bedroom mat,_

_Pour the milk on the pantry floor,_

_Splash the wine on every door,_

Ori came in with some plates and bowls and put near the sink.

_Dump the crocks in a boiling bowl,_

_Pound them up with a thumping pole. _

Bifur turned and caught some knives and forks.

_When you've finished, if any are whole,_

_Send them down the hall to roll,_

_That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!" _

All of the dwarve and Gandalf were in the kitchen and Bilbo pushed through and was shocked to see the dishes were all clean. Nimue sat on the side of the sink and all the dwarves were laughing at Bilbo's face.

Nimue jumped as three loud knocks came from the door. Everyone fell silent and looked at the door.

"He is here." Gandalf said. Everyone except Nimue walked to the door. Fili turned to the maiden.

"You come in Nim?" He asked.

"No I'll just put the plates away. I'll join you in a minute." She replied.

"Okay don't too long." He said as he followed the other dwarves. She opened the cupboard and started to put the plates and bowls away.

She heard the door open and a familiar voice caught her attention. Nimue shook her head and carried putting the dishes away. As she puts the last stack of plates in cupboard, she closes the cupboard door.

She began to was walk to the front door.

"Okay lads. I'm here now so who was at the do..." She turned the corner to see someone she hadn't seen in over two years.

"You." She said in looking at the him in shock.

* * *

Okay what do you think?

Review and tell me.

I hope you like it. I'll update soon :)


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